


Dennis' Good Day

by Amuly



Category: Marvel 616
Genre: Canon Gay Character, Canon Gay Relationship, Domestic Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-28
Updated: 2016-11-28
Packaged: 2018-09-02 18:03:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8677495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amuly/pseuds/Amuly
Summary: Jack comes back, and Dennis offers his spare bedroom to the ex-super trying to get his life back. Except he neglects to mention the specifics of his current living situation...





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [vassalady](https://archiveofourown.org/users/vassalady/gifts).



> HAPPY BIRTHDAY VASS!!!!!!

It was the moment of silence after so much explosion and exposition and resolution. Sam had gone with Steve to SHIELD HQ, Bucky trailing after, Kobik floating worriedly after him. Misty had headed home, Joaquin back to his, and Jack Monroe was left standing there, peering around at his brave new world. As usual.

No. that was enough of that. Dennis gritted his teeth and strode forward. Jack wasn't alone. Not this time.

“Jack. Hey. How’re… hey.”

Jack rubbed his face, hands moving back through his longish hair after a moment to scratch dazedly at his scalp. Finally he smiled, a small, nervous thing, at Dennis after a moment.

“Fucking hell you've got a lot of red hair.”

Dennis laughed. “You know, it's the darndest thing: it grows in red everywhere? No matter how hard I wish it otherwise! Beard, head, you name it. All red!”

Jack giggled a little, eyes skittering nervously away. After a moment he glanced back up at Dennis. “Good work, by the way. Today. What I saw, at least.”

Dennis beamed. “As, shucks. You weren't so bad yourself. Especially so soon after coming back and all. I know how rough that is.”

“Oh, you too?”

“Twice. Sort of.”

Jack shrugged. “Yeah. You get kinda used to it. Eventually.”

“Kinda,” Dennis teased.

Jack stuck his hands in his pockets and glanced around. Most the SHIELD team had dispersed, trailing after their newly revealed-Hydra-but-no-longer-Hydra Steve Rogers.

“Yeah, speaking of which… I need to get all that stuff sorted. Social, birth certificate, all that. SHIELD’s usually the guys to go to…”

Seized with a sudden giving impulse—but when was he not, really?—Dennis took a step forward. “Hey: I know we don't always get along in close quarters, but until SHIELD can get you straightened out: there's a spare bed at mine.”

Jack’s eyes flickered away, olive skin darkening a shade over the bridge of his nose. “Oh, hell, Dennis. I don't want to put you out…”

Dennis knew he'd won. Ever gracious in victory, Dennis beamed and slung his arm over Jack’s shoulders. Jack slouched a little but didn't pull away.

“Come on, we’ll get you all set up. Can't let you wander around homeless until SHIELD remembers you exist! I've been there, it's no walk in the park.”

Jack frowned at that. Probably because last time they saw each other, Dennis was a rich college boy. He waved his other hand.

“Ancient history. Speaking of which: did I hear you stole a baby? Where the hell was Steve?”

* * *

Dennis hadn't exactly forgotten to tell Jack about Tommy before they got to the apartment, he just… had been procrastinating. So much so that by the time he opened the door he still hadn't exactly told Jack, or sent a message ahead to Tommy to warn him…

“Panda Bear! Ah, I'm so relieved you're back, it was all over the news-!”

Dennis found himself with an arm full of boyfriend before he could holler out a warning. And at that point the damage was done anyway, so Dennis let himself enjoy a big, life-affirming kiss before pulling back and making the introductions.

“Tommy? This is Jack. An old partner of Cap’s, we used to run together back in the day. He just came back to life, and…”

Tommy waved his hands emphatically. “Say no more! Of course you can stay with us as long as you need. I just wish Dennis had called ahead, I could have gotten the guest room ready! Just give me ten minutes, I'll be done in two shakes of my tush.”

Tommy left them in a swirl of his silk bathrobe. Dennis rubbed the back of his head and dared a glance over at Jack. To Dennis’ relief, he was just staring down the hall where Tommy had disappeared in vague bemusement.

“I should have told you…” Dennis started. Jack glanced over at him, face neutral. Until he snorted and burst out into a grin.

“Hey, it's fine. Made friends with all sorts when I was on my own. I don't have a problem with it.”

Dennis beamed, something loosening in his chest. “Oh, well. That’s swell, Jack. I'm glad to hear it. Only, I know where you're from, when you grew up…”

Jack waved a hand and started exploring further into Dennis’ apartment, casually peering around. “I've been fine with it since I figured out about Arnie.” He turned back and grinned toothily at Dennis. “Though it's probably for the best I didn't know about it back then. You woulda never heard the end of it.”

Dennis snorted. “Yeah, I figured. I wasn't closeted back then but I made an exception for you.”

Jack laughed. “I'm honored.” He shook his head, peering away from a framed photo of Dennis and Tommy. “I was a real jerk back then. I'm sorry.”

“Jack, you don't have to-”

Jack snook his head. “Yeah I did, so I did. And that's enough of that. So! Got some grub? You were a shit cook, is Tommy any good?”

Dennis gasped, mock-indignant. “I didn't see you cooking!”

Jack shrugged. “Couldn't. Got better, cooking for me and Bucky.” His fingers fiddled with the doorframe as he stuck his head into the kitchen, not looking at Dennis. After a moment he pulled out and continued on to the living room. “I’d like to look her up. If SHIELD let’s me.”

Dennis brightened. Here was something he _could_ do. “Oh, well: do you know her name now? There's this stuff called ‘social media’: everyone uses it. We can look her up ourselves!”

Which was how Jack ended up on Dennis’ living room floor, pouring over silly photos of a teenage girl messing around with her friends, living a normal suburban life. Tommy came out of the guest room, wrapping his arms around Dennis’ barrel chest.

“Catching up?” he whispered. Dennis nodded.

“Let’s leave him to it.” Dennis turned in Tommy’s arms to beam down at him. “Any plans for dinner? Or should I pick something up from the deli downstairs.”

Tommy leaned in and they kissed briefly as they thought. “I'll go,” he offered. “You stay here with your friend.”

* * *

Jack only just kept himself from spitting out his drink with both hands over his mouth, and a hell of a lot of sputtering and choking besides. Dennis might have patted him on the back, if he weren't busy hiding his head in his hands. A blush on a redhead wasn't always the prettiest thing. At least not his type of redhead.

“What, didn't you know he could sew? No, you must have known!” Tommy patted Jack's arm with furious little tap-taps. “He made that costume for Captain America! Didn't he tell you?”

Jack gasped a couple deep breaths, face turning just about as red as Dennis'. “I knew!” he gasped out. “I knew _that_. I just hadn't heard _this_.”

“Oh, we'll catch you all up,” Tommy reassured Jack, patting his arm even more. Jack snorted and patted his hand back.

“Well, I appreciate it. The worst part of this is always catching up on whatever I missed.”

Tommy shook Jack's arm. “Okay now: fair's fair. Give us an embarrassing story about Dennis from when _you_ knew him!”

Dennis groaned and slid down further in his seat. The stories Jack could tell...

Jack met Dennis' eyes across the table and smiled genuinely, with only the barest hint of mischievousness. “Well, you already know about him sewing Cap's costume. That's gotta be the cheesiest thing he did back when I knew him...”

Tommy whined and tugged at Jack's arm. Eventually he relented.

“Okay, okay. Well, there was this time Dennis got himself caught by one of the Serpent Society dorks and I had to rescue him...”

“Ah, yes! That one, tell that one!”

At the end of the night, Jack hung on the door jam to the guest room, giving Dennis a sad smile.

“Hey pal, thanks for this. Means a lot.”

Dennis shook his head. “No problem at all, and you know it. Please, ask me for anything else you need and you've got it.”

“That's bullshit: you could have easily left me out on my ass, with the way I treated you back in the day. I appreciate you being the bigger man.”

Dennis ruffled his hair and deflected with humor: “Oh come on, Jack: I was always the bigger man. I mean, look at you.”

Jack laughed and ducked away from one big palm coming down to engulf his head. “Okay, yeah: I deserved that,” he snorted. “But really, thanks.”

Lowering his voice, Dennis whispered: “Well, thanks for being okay with all the. The gay stuff, you know. I wasn't sure how you'd be. Just talking to Tommy like a normal guy. I know it's not how it was where you're from, so I appreciate that.”

Jack shrugged. “Eh, I left all that McCarthy bullshit behind a long time ago. Besides, I'm...” he waved his hand vaguely. “Well. I'm something or another. Not all girls all the time, you know.”

“Bisexual?” Dennis offered, doing his best to school his features carefully neutral.

“If that's what the kids are calling it these days,” Jack shrugged. He glanced up at Dennis. “Right now, I'm more concerned about Bucky—my Bucky, not Cap's—and getting my life back. All that other shit can wait.”

“Well, if you're ever done waiting, Tommy and I always know some nice single men,” Dennis offered. “If you wanted.”

Jack snorted and shoved at Dennis' shoulder. “Alright, Dork Man. There's only so many favors I'm going to let you do me, you know. Night.”

“Night, Jack.”

Jack closed the door softly and Dennis went back into the kitchen where Tommy was cleaning up. He wrapped his arms around him, humming softly as Tommy leaned back against him, hands still moving over the dishes.

“He seemed so nice!” Tommy commented. “That was the boy from the fifties? He didn't seem put out at all by me.”

“Well, who could be,” Dennis murmured against Tommy's neck.

“Oh, hush, you: you know you're getting some tonight. No need to sweet-talk me.”

Dennis kissed Tommy's jaw and grinned. They swayed together as Tommy finished the last of the dishes.

“You know, you're a good man, Dennis Dunphy,” Tommy told him as he put the last dish on the drying rack. He turned in Dennis' arms and gazed lovingly up at him. Dennis shrugged and ducked his head.

“Aw, well. You're not so bad yourself, you know.”

“I know,” Tommy accepted the comment proudly. “Now: bed?”

Dennis trailed after Tommy happily, heart full with old friends reunited and the hope of good things yet to come.

 


End file.
